# US 2021/0344006 A1 · Lithium metal negative electrode and lithium metal battery including the same

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- Number: US 2021/0344006 A1
- Document ID: US20210344006A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/271,659
- Filed: 2019-07-16
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-07-16
- Assignees: LG Chem, Ltd.; Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
- Applicants: LG Chem, Ltd.; Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
- Inventors: Jong Keon YOON; Yunjung KIM; Hyunwoong YUN; Sunwoo HWANG; Hoejin HAH; Hee-Tak KIM; Youngil ROH
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210344006A1

## CPC

- H01M 4/382: {Lithium (H01M4/405 takes precedence)}
- H01M 10/4235: {Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte (H01M10/4242 takes precedence)}
- H01M 4/0404: {by coating on electrode collectors}
- H01M 4/0471: {involving thermal treatment, e.g. firing, sintering, backing particulate active material, thermal decomposition, pyrolysis}
- H01M 4/134: Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
- H01M 4/366: {as layered products}
- H01M 4/5815: {Sulfides}
- H01M 4/62: Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers
- H01M 4/661: {Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence)}
- H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators
- H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
- H01M 10/0567: characterised by the additives
- H01M 10/0568: characterised by the solutes
- H01M 10/0569: characterised by the solvents
- H01M 50/449: having a layered structure
- H01M 2004/027: {Negative electrodes}
- H01M 2300/0028: characterised by the solvent
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A lithium metal negative electrode and a lithium metal battery including the lithium metal negative electrode. The lithium metal negative electrode includes a protective layer present on at least one surface of the negative electrode for stabilizing between the lithium metal and the electrolyte. The protective layer includes a polymer of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and sulfur molecule (S8), a depolymerized product of the polymer, an inorganic sulfide-based compound, and at least one of an inorganic nitride-based compound, or an inorganic nitrate-based compound.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A lithium metal negative electrode comprising:
a negative electrode; and
a protective layer present on the negative electrode,
wherein the protective layer comprises:
a polymer of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and sulfur molecule (S8),
a depolymerized product of the polymer,
an inorganic sulfide-based compound, and
at least one of an inorganic nitride-based compound or an inorganic nitrate-based compound.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The lithium metal negative electrode according to claim 1, wherein
the inorganic sulfide-based compound comprises at least one of Li2S or Li2S2.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The lithium metal negative electrode according to claim 1, wherein
the inorganic nitride-based compound comprises Li3N, and
the inorganic nitrate-based compound comprises LiNxOy
wherein x=1 or 2, and y=2 or 3.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The lithium metal negative electrode according to claim 1, wherein
the polymer is obtained by polymerizing alpha lipoic acid and sulfur molecules in a weight ratio of 10:1 to 1:10.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The lithium metal negative electrode according to claim 1, wherein
the polymer of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and sulfur molecule (S8) is represented by the following Chemical Formula 1:
in the Chemical Formula 1, R1 to R4 are each independently a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C3 alkylene group;
3≤n≤10; and 1<x≤10.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The lithium metal negative electrode according to claim 1, wherein
the depolymerized product of the polymer is an oligomer represented by at least one of the following Chemical Formula 1-1 or a monomer represented by the following Chemical Formula 1-2:
in the Chemical Formula 1-1, R1 to R4 are each independently a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C3 alkylene group;
1≤y≤6; and
1≤z≤5,
in the Chemical Formula 1-2, R1 to R4 are each independently a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C3 alkylene group.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The lithium metal negative electrode according to claim 6, wherein
the oligomer and the monomer each independently further comprise a lithium cation.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The lithium metal negative electrode according to claim 1, wherein
the negative electrode is a lithium free anode consisting of only a copper current collector; or
the negative electrode comprises:
a copper current collector and a lithium metal layer present on the copper current collector.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A lithium metal battery comprising:
the lithium metal negative electrode of claim 1;
a positive electrode;
a separator located between the lithium metal negative electrode and the positive electrode; and
an electrolyte impregnated in the separator, wherein the electrolyte comprises a lithium salt, an organic solvent, and LiNO3.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The lithium metal battery according to claim 9, further comprising
a coating layer comprising the polymer is present on at least one surface facing the negative electrode among both surfaces of the separator facing the negative electrode.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The lithium metal battery according to claim 9, wherein a concentration of the additive in the electrolyte is 0.1 M to 1.0 M.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The lithium metal battery according to claim 9, wherein
the lithium salt comprises lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI).

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The lithium metal battery according to claim 9, wherein
the organic solvent is a mixture of 1,3-dioxolane (DOL) and dimethoxyethane (DME) in a volume ratio of 3:7 to 7:3.

### Claim 14

A method for producing a lithium metal battery comprising the steps of:
preparing a polymer of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and sulfur molecule (S8);
coating the polymer onto one surface of a separator;
preparing an electrode assembly wherein the separator surface coated with the polymer is positioned opposite to a lithium metal negative electrode, and the other surface of the separator is positioned opposite to a positive electrode,
injecting an electrolyte into the separator in the electrode assembly; and
packaging the assembly after injecting the electrolyte to obtain the lithium metal battery.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method for producing a lithium metal battery according to claim 14, wherein
in the obtained lithium metal battery,
a part of the polymer coated on the surface of the separator is depolymerized by reacting the polymer with the lithium metal of the negative electrode,
another part of the polymer coated on the surface of the separator is reduced and decomposed by reacting with the electrolyte, and
wherein the electrolyte comprises LiNO3 and the LiNO3 is reduced and decomposed by reacting with the lithium metal of the negative electrode.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method for producing a lithium metal battery according to claim 14, wherein
applying heat at a temperature in a range of 150° C. to 175° C. to the mixture of the alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and the sulfur molecule (S8) in the step of preparing a polymer.